Soma Says

Dr. Soma Mandal sits down with Tiffany Nieslanik, VP of Community and Membership at Livelong Media, for a conversation about reshaping women’s health in midlife and beyond.

Tiffany shares how her own experience with perimenopause helped fuel her focus on women’s health and led to her work building the Livelong Women newsletter and Women’s Circle community. She and Dr. Soma discuss the questions women are asking most, how to separate credible evidence from wellness hype, and why improving your health doesn’t require changing everything at once—sometimes the most meaningful progress begins with one actionable step.

Tiffany also gives a preview of the Livelong Women’s Health Summit, taking place September 25–26 in New York City. The summit brings together experts for conversations spanning menopause and hormone therapy, GLP-1s and metabolic health, cardiovascular and brain health, strength training, preventive screenings, wearables and health data, and creating a personal “longevity roadmap.” The event will also include a continuing-education workshop for healthcare professionals.

And there’s another side of Tiffany you may not expect: she’s an author. She shares the story behind her debut science-fiction novel, Home Planet, arriving this September.

It’s a conversation about information, empowerment, longevity—and helping women make better-informed decisions about their health at every stage of midlife.

In this episode:

00:00 Welcome and Purpose

Connect with Tiffany Nieslanik:

Livelong Woman — https://www.livelongwoman.com/

Connect with Dr. Soma Mandal:

somamandalmd.com or Instagram @drsomamandalmd

Guest: Dr. Hilary Lin, MD Host: Dr. Soma Mandal, MD 

What does artificial intelligence have to do with your perimenopause care? More than you think — and it starts with a problem that has existed long before AI was ever invented.

Women have been undertreated, under-researched, and underdosed in medicine for decades. The dosing standards, the clinical trials, the guidelines — most were built around male bodies. And now, as AI becomes a fixture in how people research and manage their health, there's a real risk that it simply replicates those same blind spots at scale.

In this episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma Mandal sits down with Dr. Hilary Lin — Stanford-trained longevity physician, board-certified internist, entrepreneur, and one of the clearest thinkers working at the intersection of AI, evidence-based medicine, and women's health.

From her path through oncology and primary care to building a proactive concierge longevity practice in New York City, Dr. Lin brings a first-principles approach to one of medicine's most important questions: how do we cut through the noise — supplements, peptides, social media, and overhyped AI tools — to get women the personalized, evidence-based care they actually deserve?

Real evidence. Real conversations. About the transition no one prepared you for. Let's talk about The Pause — on purpose.

From Oncology to Longevity [01:49] Dr. Lin traces her journey from Stanford training through oncology and primary care, and how the disruption of COVID — and her own personal transitions — led her into mental health, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and ultimately a first-principles approach to longevity medicine. Her through-line: a deep skepticism of hype and a commitment to following the evidence wherever it leads.

Peptides and Supplement Hype [04:00] The longevity space is saturated with expensive, unproven interventions. Dr. Lin breaks down how she evaluates supplements and peptides using an evidence-first framework — and gives listeners the tools to ask better questions before spending money on wellness trends that may not deliver.

Talking Through Misinformation [06:19] What do you do when someone you love doesn't trust mainstream medicine? Dr. Lin shares how she approaches conversations about health misinformation with patients and family members — including those who distrust pharmaceutical companies — without dismissing their concerns or abandoning the evidence.

Why AI Misses Women's Health [08:33] This is the segment every woman needs to hear. Dr. Lin explains how large language models are trained on existing medical literature — literature that has historically excluded or underrepresented women — and why that means AI tools can reflect and reinforce the same gender biases that have harmed women in medicine for generations. She also addresses how AI over-reliance on clinical guidelines can fail women whose experiences fall outside the norm.

Social Media vs. AI Truth [12:27] Algorithms reward simplicity. Dr. Lin unpacks how social media platforms are structurally designed to amplify the most confident, most simplistic health claims — and why that's especially dangerous in a space like perimenopause, where nuance is everything.

AI for Personal Health Data [14:58] Used correctly, AI can be a powerful tool for consolidating clinical data, wearable data, and health history into a more complete picture. Dr. Lin explains what that looks like in practice — and warns about the single most common mistake people make when using AI for their own health: providing too little context.

Rare Diagnoses and Patterns [18:15] One of the most promising frontiers for AI in medicine is pattern recognition across large datasets — identifying rare conditions that might take years to diagnose through conventional pathways. Dr. Lin discusses both the potential and the limits of this capability, especially for women with complex or overlapping symptoms.

Closing Women's Health Gaps [23:57] The dosing standards, research protocols, and clinical guidelines that govern most of medicine were built without women at the center. Dr. Lin and Dr. Soma dig into what the women's health research gap actually looks like, what it costs patients, and how AI — used thoughtfully — could help build more personalized, woman-centered care.

How Women Should Use AI [29:23] A practical, actionable close: Dr. Lin's direct guidance on how women navigating perimenopause and midlife health decisions can use AI tools wisely, critically, aend safely.

Livelong Summit NYC Preview [30:38] Dr. Lin previews the Liv Long Women's Health Summit — an upcoming event at the intersection of longevity, women's health, and innovation — and why it's a space worth watching.

Dr. Hilary Lin, MD is a New York City-based longevity physician, Stanford-trained internist, and entrepreneur working at the frontier of evidence-based longevity medicine, AI-enabled health delivery, and women's health equity. Her clinical path spans oncology, primary care, mental health innovation — including psychedelic-assisted therapy — and proactive concierge longevity medicine.

She is the Co-Founder and CEO of CareCore, an AI-powered clinical infrastructure platform, and the host of The Longevity Show. Her work is defined by a first-principles commitment to cutting through medical hype and building care models that serve patients earlier, more personally, and more equitably — particularly women.

Connect with Dr. Hilary Lin: 🌐 hillarylinmd.com 📺 youtube.com/@hillarylinmd 📸 @hillarylinmd on Instagram 🐦 @hillarylinmd on X/Twitter 💼 linkedin.com/in/hillarylinmd

Dr. Soma Mandal, MD is a board-certified internist women's health specialist.  She is a nationally recognized expert in midlife and menopause, author of Dear Menopause, I Do Not Fear You and Midlife Masala, and the host of Soma Says.

🌐 somamandalmd.com 📸 @drsomamandalmd on Instagram

🎧 Subscribe to Soma Says on Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. ⭐ Enjoying the show? Leave a review — it helps more women find evidence-based conversations that actually matter. 📤 Share this episode with a woman navigating midlife who has ever Googled a symptom and gotten lost in the noise. This conversation is the antidote.

The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for guidance specific to your individual health needs.

Guest: Ashlyn Lelej, MS, CCC-SLP | Founder, Speech Matters Clinic Host: Dr. Soma Mandal, MD Website: speechmattersclinic.com | Instagram: @speechmattersclinic

What happens when the healthcare system decides your child's feeding struggles aren't serious enough — or that the therapy your doctor recommended isn't covered? And what does it cost a woman to spend decades not knowing she's autistic?

In this episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma Mandal sits down with Ashlyn Lelej, speech-language pathologist and founder of Speech Matters Clinic in Charlotte, NC. Since opening her doors in 2009, Ashlyn has built a practice rooted in the belief that every person deserves the right to communicate, connect, and thrive — on their own terms.

Together they pull back the curtain on a field that is quietly foundational to women's and children's health, yet chronically underfunded, undervalued, and misunderstood. From insurance denial playbooks to the sensory roots of pediatric feeding, from late autism diagnoses in women to the neuro-affirming therapy debate — this conversation is equal parts practical and paradigm-shifting.

If you've ever been dismissed by a system that should have been listening, this episode is for you.

"Insurance and Research Gaps" [03:29] Ashlyn breaks down where coverage has improved (feeding therapy, autism) and where it has quietly regressed (adult aphasia) — and explains why clinical reality almost always moves faster than the research that insurers are willing to accept.

"Autism Missed in Girls" [05:31] The diagnostic criteria for autism were built around male presentations. Ashlyn walks through exactly what that costs girls and women — in school services, in self-knowledge, in mental health — and what it looks like when a woman finally gets answers in midlife.

"Neuro-Affirming Therapy Debate" [11:01] What does it mean to support someone's communication without asking them to mask who they are? Ashlyn addresses the controversy head-on and explains how SLPs can build social-language skills in a way that affirms rather than erases.

"Insurance Denials Playbook" [14:37] One of the most practically useful segments in this episode. Ashlyn shares real strategies for challenging denials: how to call insurers effectively, when to involve your employer's HR department, how billing codes can make or break a claim, and where to find grant funding when coverage falls short.

"Pediatric Feeding Disorders" [22:30] Feeding challenges in children are among the most emotionally loaded — and most dismissed — concerns a parent can bring to a provider. Ashlyn explains what's really happening, why it matters, and what the research actually says.

"Sensory Roots of Feeding Issues" [26:32] Picky eating is not a parenting failure. Ashlyn connects the dots between sensory processing and feeding difficulties in a way that reframes what families are often told about their children — and themselves.

"Why Speech Therapy Is Underpaid" [29:53] A frank conversation about what it means to work in a field that is over 95% female — and how that reality shapes reimbursement, institutional respect, and the day-to-day experience of practicing clinicians.

Ashlyn Lelej, MS, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and the founder of Speech Matters Clinic, a family-centered practice she established in Charlotte, NC in 2009. With over 20 years of experience spanning private practice, schools, inpatient, outpatient, and home health settings, Ashlyn brings both clinical depth and business-owner perspective to the conversations most providers aren't having. Her areas of focus include pediatric feeding disorders, neurodiversity, aphasia, and the evolving models of speech therapy treatment. She is a passionate advocate for families navigating complex systems — and for the clinicians working inside them.

🌐 speechmattersclinic.com 📸 @speechmattersclinic on Instagram

Dr. Soma Mandal, MD is a board-certified internist and nationally recognized expert in midlife and menopause. She is the author of Dear Menopause, I Do Not Fear You and Midlife Masala, and the host of Soma Says — the podcast where women's health gets personal. Dr. Mandal blends Western medicine with Eastern wisdom to deliver no-fluff conversations for women 40 and up navigating perimenopause, hormone health, aging, and beyond.

🌐 somamandalmd.com 📸 @drsomamandalmd on Instagram

🎧 Subscribe to Soma Says on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. ⭐ If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review — it helps more women find conversations that actually matter. 📤 Share this episode with a parent, a clinician, or a woman who has ever felt dismissed by the system. They need to hear this.

The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for guidance specific to your situation.

In this episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma Mandal sits down with award-winning producer, video confidence coach, and midlife advocate Rosie Faulkner for an honest conversation about confidence, identity, aging, and rediscovering yourself during perimenopause and beyond.

Rosie shares her personal experience navigating midlife changes — including weight gain, depression, shifting identity, and the emotional impact of no longer recognizing herself in the mirror. What followed was a powerful realization: accepting your current self doesn’t mean giving up — it means meeting yourself with compassion while still taking steps toward feeling better.

Together, Dr. Soma and Rosie explore the pressure women face around aging, appearance, and “anti-aging” culture — and how authenticity, style, mindset, movement, and small daily actions can help women feel confident and visible again.

Rosie Faulkner is an award-winning producer, speaker, and video confidence coach who helps women — especially those in midlife — show up confidently on camera and in life. Through coaching, workshops, and online programs, she empowers women to embrace authenticity, rediscover confidence, and stop hiding themselves during seasons of transition.

She is also the creator of the upcoming intimacy-focused course:

Rosie is based in the Washington, DC area and works with clients virtually.

00:00 – Disclaimer and Introduction

Now streaming on:

In this episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma Mandal sits down with Dr. Loretta Friedman — a Directional Non-Force Technique® chiropractor, integrative clinical nutritionist, and founder of Synergy Health Associates — to explore what happens when patients don’t feel well… even when everything looks “normal” on paper.

With over 25 years of clinical experience, Dr. Friedman brings a unique perspective shaped by her early career as an operating room nurse in cardiothoracic and transplant medicine, followed by her transition into integrative and functional care.

Her work focuses on inflammation, metabolic health, lymphatic function, and personalized treatment — particularly for women navigating midlife changes. She is also known for developing proprietary approaches such as Lymph-Biologics™, a specialized form of lymphatic drainage, and her “Aging Analysis” testing methodology.

Dr. Loretta Friedman is a New York–based practitioner specializing in:

She has been in practice for over two decades and is recognized for her work in lymphatic health and holistic approaches to chronic illness.

In this episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma Mandal sits down with Dr. Namratha “Nammi” Kandula — Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University and a leading investigator in the MASALA Study — to unpack a critical and often overlooked topic: cardiovascular risk in South Asian populations, especially women.

Drawing from her clinical training at Bellevue and public health work in Bangladesh, Dr. Kandula shares how culture, migration, and social determinants of health shape disease risk in ways traditional medicine often misses.

Together, they explore the groundbreaking MASALA Study (Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America) — a long-term research initiative designed to better understand why South Asians face disproportionately high rates of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease — even at lower body weights.

This is a must-listen for women navigating midlife health, clinicians seeking deeper insight into health disparities, and anyone interested in the intersection of culture, biology, and prevention.

00:00 – Welcome and Disclaimer

Connect with Dr. Kandula: https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=15620

Follow Dr. Soma Mandal:

In this episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma sits down with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Hisham Seify of Newport Beach for a thoughtful conversation about how aesthetic medicine has evolved — and how it increasingly overlaps with integrative health, longevity, and midlife wellness.

Over the past two decades, aesthetic goals have shifted dramatically. The focus is no longer “bigger” or dramatically altered — it’s healthier, more natural, and aligned with overall wellbeing. Together, Dr. Soma and Dr. Seify explore what that means for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.

They discuss common midlife changes including post-pregnancy abdominal laxity, breast sagging and volume shifts, facial aging around the eyes and neck, and how genetics and lifestyle factors — including sun exposure, stress, inflammation, smoking, alcohol, and diet — influence how we age.

Dr. Seify explains the difference between non-surgical and surgical facial options by decade, how he defines “natural” rejuvenation (often referencing younger photographs rather than filtered trends), and how he counsels patients influenced by social media aesthetics like the “cat eye.”

The episode also explores regenerative aesthetics, including:

They address breast changes during midlife — including fat redistribution, glandular loss, ptosis, and large-breast symptoms — and review options such as lift, augmentation (with implants or fat), reduction, and advances in breast cancer reconstruction.

Dr. Seify also shares insight into his practice’s GLP-1 weight-management clinic using medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, discussing how weight loss affects surgical candidacy, timing, medical clearance, and the importance of weight stability before surgery.

The conversation debunks common misconceptions:

Above all, this episode emphasizes safety, research, and choosing board-certified surgeons through reputable professional societies — and pursuing aesthetic procedures for yourself, not for trends.

00:00 – Welcome + Medical Disclaimer

🎙 Connect with Dr. Hisham Seify

🎙 Connect with Dr. Soma

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share with a woman navigating midlife who wants clarity — not confusion — about aging and aesthetics.

In this intimate solo episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma explores a quiet but powerful experience many women face in midlife: the growing sense that the professional identity that once fit no longer feels aligned.

Rather than framing this discomfort as burnout, failure, or ingratitude, Dr. Soma reframes it as information—a signal of growth, clarity, and evolving values. Drawing from her clinical experience and lived insight, she unpacks how biological shifts, emotional maturity, and deeper self-awareness intersect to change our relationship with work during midlife.

You’ll hear Dr. Soma describe the three most common paths of professional change in midlife—the quiet pivot, the parallel expansion, and the full reinvention—and why none of them mean you chose “wrong” earlier in your career. This episode is an invitation to pause, listen inward, and trust yourself during a season of recalibration.

If you’ve ever thought “Everything looks good on paper—so why does this feel different?”, this conversation is for you.

00:00 — Introduction and setting the scene

🌐 Website: https://somamandalmd.com

If this episode resonated, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review — it helps more women find conversations that honor midlife as a time of clarity, not crisis.

And if you know a woman quietly questioning her professional life, consider sharing this episode with her. Sometimes permission is the most powerful gift we can offer.

In this insightful episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma Mandal sits down with Kristen Blake, a functional nutritionist and women’s wellness coach dedicated to helping women heal from the inside out.

Kristen shares the personal health struggles that led her to build Kristen Blake Wellness, and walks listeners through her root-cause approach—a method that integrates personalized nutrition, targeted lifestyle changes, and nervous system support to address the deeper imbalances driving symptoms.

Together, Soma and Kristen explore the foundations of women’s metabolic and hormonal health:

They also highlight the importance of collaborative care between nutritionists and physicians to support women through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.

This conversation is a must-listen for any woman navigating midlife who wants to feel energized, balanced, and deeply supported in her body.

00:00 — Introduction and Disclaimer

🌐 Website: https://www.kristenblakewellness.com

🌐 Website: https://www.somamandalmd.com

If this episode helped you understand your body, hormones, or health habits more deeply, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps more women discover science-based, compassionate guidance for thriving in midlife.

In this illuminating episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma Mandal is joined by Karen Curry Parker, founder of Quantum Human Design™, bestselling author, and pioneer in the field of energy psychology.

Together, they explore how Quantum Human Design can help women decode their soul’s blueprint—providing unprecedented clarity, direction, and self-understanding, especially during midlife transitions. Karen breaks down the key differences between traditional Human Design and her upgraded Quantum system, explaining how energetic alignment affects everything from mood and resilience to physiology and hormone balance.

The conversation dives into the deeper stories that shape our identity, the impact of living out of alignment, and how midlife—particularly perimenopause and menopause—can become a powerful awakening decade rather than a crisis.

Listeners will learn how to use Human Design insights to make aligned decisions, transform old narratives, regulate emotional energy, and step into a more authentic, empowered version of themselves.

This episode is rich with wisdom, compassion, and practical tools for anyone seeking meaning, healing, and clarity during one of the most transformative chapters of life.

00:00 — Introduction and Disclaimer

🌐 Website: https://www.instagram.com/karencurryparkerofficial/?hl=en

🌐 Website: https://www.somamandalmd.com